Sexual Health GPs
Dr Claire Pickett
Looking for an experienced sexual health GP who provides expert, respectful care? Dr Claire provides a safe and inclusive gender affirming care in a confidential setting at BCH Lucas.
Dr Claire can ensure you keep the best sexual health by reducing your STI risk, testing and treating STIs and optimising HIV care with PEP and Prep. HIV care is offered for new patient consultations and supportive follow up reviews.
Dr Claire can discuss and plan with you the right contraceptive method to suit your body and lifestyle, including short term and long acting options.
Talk through symptoms, treatment options and feel heard as Dr Claire supports your menopause management. Dr Claire can guide you with non-judgemental care and clarity.
Dr Karina Vila
Dr Karina is a general medical practitioner with a special interest in sexual and reproductive health, as well as Women’s and Adolescent Health. She provides inclusive, confidential, and accessible care.
Dr Karina often works with highly personal and sensitive concerns. She believes in creating a safe, non-judgmental environment where her patients feel heard and supported.
Dr Karina will provide sensitive support around contraception, whether you’d like to discuss what’s suitable for you or organise a specific procedure, IUD (insertion, changeover, removal or check), Implanon (insertion, changeover or removal) or sexually transmitted infections (STI) checks.
Accepting patients of all ages, lifestyles, cultures and backgrounds, you can talk to Dr Karina about a wide range of sexual and reproductive health areas including diagnosing and supporting HIV (PEP & Prep) and menopause.
Dr Dilhani Withanage Dona
Dr Dilhani has been working as a GP in Ballarat for over 14 years, caring for people across our community.
One of her greatest passions is supporting women’s health—especially through the important stages of perimenopause and menopause, as well as helping women make informed choices about contraception, including IUD insertion.
She believes the journey to better hormone health should be a holistic one. That’s why in our consultations, we don’t just talk about hormones and treatment options—we also look at the bigger picture: nutrition, exercise, sleep, and ways to reduce stress.
Dr Dilhani is committed to ensuring women feel informed, supported, and confident when making decisions about their reproductive and hormone health. Her goal is to provide care that not only treats medical concerns, but also enhances overall wellbeing.
Nurse Practitioner
Joanna Labbett – Nurse Practitioner
Jo is a nurse practitioner specialising in women’s sexual and reproductive health. Jo received her nurse practitioner qualifications and post graduate qualifications in women’s health from the University of Melbourne.
Jo is a sexual health advocate and works to remove stigma and improve access for people to receive compassionate, timely and appropriate health care in our community. This care involves having autonomy and choice when it comes to pregnancy choice, termination of pregnancy, contraception, STI /BBV screening, menopause management or pelvic pain.
For sensitive and appropriate care you can talk to Jo about your contraception options, including IUD and Implanon. Jo will also undertake STI checks and she is the perfect support to discuss managing menopause.
Sexual Health Nurses
Nurse Bernie
Bernie is a Sexual Health Nurse at Ballarat Community Health and headspace Ballarat with 36 years of nursing experience across Urology, Oncology, ICU, ED and more! Bernies is passionate about women’s and men’s health. She’s committed to promoting cancer screening and education in breast health, testicular health, cervical screening, and bowel screening.
Bernie can support you to assess pregnancy risks, provide contraceptive advice, STI testing, blood-borne virus (BBV) risk assessment, vaccination, cervical screening tests (CSTs), Implanon insertion and removal. Cabenuva injections for our HIV community, informed consent education and medical monitoring for disordered eating.
Bernie provides confidential, judgement-free sexual health services for young people aged 12-25 at headspace Ballarat. It’s a bulk-billed service, and we’re here to help you stay safe, informed, and empowered.
Lucas clinic
headspace Ballarat
Nurse Hannah
Chat with Nurse Hannah about your sexual health. If you’ve got questions about your body, your health or just want to talk through your options – Nurse Hannah is here to help. She’s friendly respectful and knows how to make you feel comfortable, no matter what you’re coming in for.
You can have a contraceptive chat, Hannah can explain your options and help you to choose. She can support you with IUD care, Implanon care and CST cervical screening tests if you’re 25 or older.
For patients aged 12-25 years, Nurse Hannah is also available for bookings at headspace Ballarat.
Wendouree clinic
headspace Ballarat
Nurse Hayley
Hayley is an experienced Sexual Health Nurse with a background working in neonatal/paediatric units and adolescent mental health. Enjoying all things related to women and adolescent health Hayley is here for women who are post-partum or have young children. She can support you to navigate your sexual health whether its contraception whilst breast feeding or finding the time to fit in your CST.
Book a time to talk to Nurse Hayley, she supports women who may be struggling with their mental health and the links that hormones (post-partum, influences from contraception, and menopause) can have and can help to navigate to a more positive lifestyle. You can also talk to Hayley about your sexual health including unplanned pregnancy, she can support you in navigating decision pathways for care in a holistic and trauma informed manner.
Lucas clinic
FAQs
Health literacy refers to how well you can understand and use health related information to make decisions. You can refer to the list below for plain language explanations for some terms used in sexual and reproductive health settings.